- Ivan Radenovic F 2.08 5 Nikita Kurbanov F 2.02 7 Victor Keyru G 2.00 8 Matjaz Smodis F 2.05 9 Ramunas Siskauskas F 1.98 10 J. R. Holden G 1.85 15 Artem Zabelin C 2.15 18 Anton Ponkrashov F 2.00 20 Andrey Vorontsevich F 2.07 21 Trajan Langdon G 1.92 23 Alexey Shved G 1.95 24 Alexandar Kaun C 2.11 30 Dmitriy Sokolov C 2.14 31 Viktor Khryapa F 2.03 34 Zoran Planinic G 1.98 Head Coach: Evgeniy Pashutin

Despite an important change at the top, Russian powerhouse CSKA Moscow returns to the Euroleague for 2009-10 backed by so much winning momentum that success is now part of the club's DNA. CSKA is enjoying a second golden age that has included two Euroleague titles and a pair of one-point runner-up finishes amid a record seven consecutive Final Four appearances since 2003. In short, CSKA this decade has been one of the most dominant teams in European club basketball history. The departure of head coach Ettore Messina and several key players will merely mean a new opportunity for a proud club to prove how strong a foundation it has built over the last years. There is certainly no doubting the veteran players at the core of CSKA's lineup, superstars J.R. Holden, Trajan Langdon, Ramunas Siskauskas, Matjaz Smodis and Viktor Khryapa, who by themselves are enough to consider CSKA a main candidate to challenge for another Euroleague title. CSKA stayed consistent, too, by promoting to head coach someone who knows those players well, former assistant coach Evgeniy Pashutin. The club also did its best to land the best available Russian players to make fans all around the country identify even more with their signature club. As such, CSKA brought back forward Nikita Kurbanov and tall playmaker Anton Ponkrashov, both ready to see more playing time now, while also adding big center Dmitriy Sokolov and power forward Ivan Radenovic. In addition, CSKA held onto point guard Zoran Planinic, center Sasha Kaun and youngsters Alexey Shved, Andrey Vorontsevich and Victor Keyru, who each have enough potential to start in many clubs. The fun is far from over in Moscow, as CSKA boasts experience, familiarity and precocious talent on a roster that is hungry to keep rewriting European basketball history.



CSKA is arguably one of the Euroleague's deepest teams at point guard, with up to four players at that position, and that's without considering Siskauskas as a point forward who can also run the offense when needed for strategic reasons. CSKA made it a priority to keep Holden, its signature player during this seven-season resurgence and one of the world's best on-the-ball defenders. Holden's unique mix of experience, determination and leadership generates automatic respect for CSKA whenever he is in uniform. While taking the responsibility of guarding opposing playmakers on defense, Holden can also see minutes as an off-guard when Planinic and Ponkrashov are on the floor. Both are similar players - tall point guards with outstanding driving skills who also like to post up. Planinic has more talent and experience while Ponkrashov is more aggressive. Langdon will again be CSKA's scoring reference, a go-to killer ready to pull the trigger from any distance, although he almost never launches ill-advised shots. Far from being offense-only, Langdon is a silent leader who never gives up on defense, either. Shved and Keyru round out a deep CSKA backcourt and will have to earn their playing time in practice. Shved remains a top European prospect thanks to extraordinary penetration and passing skills, while Keyru is a solid athlete with good range and defensive quickness.

The frontcourt is anchored by the trio of Siskauskas, Smodis and Khryapa, who form one of basketball's most versatile mix of forwards. Siskauskas, a former Euroleague MVP and two-time champion, has the complete package on offense. A natural-born mismatch able to beat anyone one-on-one, Siskauskas knows how to create his own shot and use his outstanding fundamentals to get easy points or go to the foul line trying. When he is on fire, Siskauskas is simply unstoppable. Meanwhile, Khryapa is the ultimate defensive ace, able to guard anyone from point guards to big men. Quick, aggressive, strong and ready, Khryapa also contributes in offense with his power, soft touch and rebounding determination. Smodis, a three-time Euroleague winner, has proven to be a dominant power forward whenever injuries allow him. Although deadly from downtown - especially from the top of circle - Smodis can also dominate games in the low post, where he often does damage drawing fouls early in games. Kurbanov, who won the 2006 Euroleague title with CSKA, returns to offer intensity and deep range off the bench. Vorontsevich is a sturdy, mobile forward who runs the floor well and can hit the outside shot. Kaun and Sokolov will split minutes at center, even when Khryapa and Smodis may also help around the basket. Kaun will get plenty responsibility in his second pro season, but showed he can handle it while helping CSKA reach last season's Euroleague title game. Sokolov arrives as a much-needed inside presence who will be needed to intimidate on defense while doing what he does best - offensive rebounding - at the other end. Impressive inside-outside scorer and solid rebounder Ivan Radenovic joined CSKA late in the preseason, after an injury to Smodis. Another big man, young Artem Zabelin, is not expected to see much playing time but will work hard to prove themselves to Coach Pashutin as key, smaller pieces to the CSKA puzzle. Things may have changed around CSKA, but the goals remain the same: to go for all trophies available - including a seventh continental crown.

DMITRIY SOKOLOV, CENTER After making four title games and winning the Euroleague twice in the past four years, CSKA Moscow underwent some changes this summer. Although a couple former players returned to the roster, CSKA reached out to grab only one complete newcomer to the club and the Euroleague. That player, center Dmitriy Sokolov, will now have one of the biggest opportunities in basketball, to help keep CSKA's incredible tradition of success moving forward . The 24-year-old Sokolov will get the unique chance to make an impact in his first Euroleague season as one of new head coach Evgeniy Pashutin's top options to take over the minutes vacated by Erazem Lorbek and Terence Morris. Sokolov has experience at the highest levels, both with the Russian national team and at the club level. Last season Sokolov proved himself worthy of a step up as he shined for Unics Kazan with some of the best per-minute stats in the Eurocup. His combination of size – 2.14 meters – and skills on both ends of the floor help make Sokolov a headache for the opposition all game long. A very efficient player on offense, Sokolov shoots at a high percentage, draws lots of fouls and crashes the offensive boards with alarming success, while on defense, his size and timing allow him to reject shots with relative ease. The transition to the Euroleague may not be an easy one, but the fact that Sokolov will play alongside veterans Matjaz Smodis and Viktor Khryapa will only help his development as the big man looks to become a cornerstone of a new CSKA success story. If Sokolov can be as efficient at the Euroleague level as he was earning his way here, CSKA may not miss a beat in the 2009-10 season, either.